Hello, Again

I know it’s been a bit since I have been here. I just haven’t felt that there were 20 minutes free to post. I had a couple of ideas and one in particular I wanted to work on Monday, but there were things requiring attention. So…spouseinbox and I have finished a Kairos weekend. For those unfamiliar with the Kairos ministry, it presents the love of God to prisoners. It is nondenominational and we have representatives present from Methodist, Catholic, Brethern, etc. all united in sharing with the prisoners. The time required is quite respectable and the results are as well.

As for Monday, it was Columbus day. The governmental positions were able to have a holiday and the private sector which supports them worked. I saw a reference to Columbus landing and interrupting the land loving practices of human sacrifice, etc. I remember a class in college where this act was described as someone simply filling out their itinerary and receiving incredible credit that was not due, as the Vikings were here previously. I have considered that and realize the folly of the argument. Don’t all of us that work maintain our hours? Don’t we work will full intent of receiving credit for our labors? To what does the term “Flat earth Society” refer? Was not that the time when the “consensus” of scientists considered the earth flat? Columbus set out with his life on the line to prove the conventional wisdom wrong. He had a wooden ship of about 90 feet in length to hold enough supplies to get him across the ocean. There was no GPS, no satellite tracking, no radio to call, no one else around – granted they went as three, but that was it. Think about traveling somewhere that is unknown with no map and only a belief to guide. One would have to choose between madman and courage as descriptors.

He had the support of the King Ferdinand of Spain as to the provisions and sold his idea to royalty. I can picture this sale being similar to those noting the practical problem with global warming, being held with derision, and still approaching congress to make the sale. His actual purpose is described here. It was a combination of two – finding a trade route to India, and spreading the Gospel. Would that be why there is such disdain for Columbus now? He actually had a religious background. How dare someone have a spiritual belief and act upon it!

I honor Columbus because of what he did. He faced the unknown on belief, put his life on the line for that belief and then propagated Christianity to a new portion of the globe. The religious freedom set up here created the greatest society on Earth and note that the diminishing of this nation is in accord with its removal of Christianity from the public sphere. After all, from the government’s perspective, if there is a population of individuals who are self governed and behave in a proper manner, the need for an overreaching government is not there. They then have to create that need.